Introduction

Given your interest in clinical trials, it is likely that you already know quite a bit about how they work, the barriers associated with them, and why they are important.

Whether you are a health care professional who wants to find ways to reach your community, a member of a patient group who wants to educate its members, or someone who wants to engage your group or organization to initiate clinical trial outreach activities, this guide can help you figure out avenues to support your activities. The guide is not designed to be a comprehensive overview; rather, it gives some examples of activities others have engaged in, and provides tools and suggestions for implementation in your community.

By informing your community about clinical trials, you can help people make informed decisions about their cancer treatment or prevention options, including the option of participation in a clinical trial. The more people that participate in clinical trials, the faster we can answer the critical research questions that will lead us to better treatment and prevention options for all cancers.